Internal-combustion engine.



C. W. ANDERSON.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE14,1911

1,058,026. Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

3 8HEBTBSHEET 1.

O. W. ANDERSON.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1911.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

3 SHEBTB-SHEET 2.

G. W. ANDERSON. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1911.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

men 1" r'mqq 771,1Z11esse'5 7O T all whom it may concern: i q

-'Be' it known that I, CORY W.-ANDERs0N,- a citizen .oflthe- United States, residingat" Buffalo; in the county ofErie and State of; New York, have "invented 2 new and useful UNITED STATES. PATENT FFICE.

CORY: jw. ND RsON; 0 F BUFFALO, NEW, YORK.

INrERNALooMBus'r'IoN ENGINE.

Improvements .in Internal-Combustion En- I the'working pistonm. v It isthe'object o'f'this-invehtiou-to pro-i diiee an'iengine" ofthis character-in which" thorough scavenging of the-burnt :or dead tron".

"This invention relates toan internal coin-zc bustion'engine of thatty-pe in' Which apower impulse is produced 'during jeach stroke gases is effected before the new or livecharge of gaseous fuel is admitted-t0 the cylinder,: which is so constructed thatIthe-livegas or fuel is admitted under high-pressure dun.

ing the-last portion of the working stroke dead gas issetfected positively and noise'.

lessly and by the use of comparatively few.

parts Whichcan be readilyproduced zit-1 w. cost. 4;

In the accompanying drawings consisting. of 3 sheets: Figure 1 is-a side 'elevat-ionbf a gas engine embodying myinvention. Fig.

2'is a=vertical longitudinal'section thereof in line-2+2, Fig. '1. Fig.3 i s-a 'fragmentary vertical section, on-an enlarged'scaleytaken in-line 3--3,'Fig.= l and showing the canrfor operating the exhaust valves. Figs-=4 is a. vertical longitudinal section of the :enginecylinder and associated parts on'a linecons; responding to Fig. 2 but' showing the piston and plunger at the opposite ends-of their strokes.

Figs. 5 and 6 are horizontal-sections in'the correspondingly number'edlin-es in Fig.4. 1

Qimilar numerals of-reference views.

bodied either ina horizontal or in a vertical engine, and either in a single cylinder ora 'inulti-cyllnder engine the same, for example,

is represented in the drawingsasenibodied;

in a single cylinder upright engine,

'1 represents the hollow base or main fram ings. 22 on its oppositesidcs;preferably of Specification of Letters'lia teiit.

I tit B 5511 ty e, in which.

gines, of "which the-followi-hg'is a;specifica-' zontal crank shaft 3.. r =Above the base is: arranged an: upright :WVOIkiIlgfOI; explosion cylinder 4'theupper gandieilower 'ends of which-are. preferably Patented A es, 1913-. Application filediiune 14, 1911. ;Serial No. 633,052..

is journaled a horiclosed-"by upper and lowerheads 5', 6*..which.

are I detach-ably secured --tothe upper and 'ilower ends- 0f the cylinder. by me'ans'wof 5 i-The' lower'.head dfithe 'cylinder ispreteii 5 ablyprovided with aa dovvnwardly projectjing pedestal 8 Which'isforme'd integrallytherewith. and which is'sec'ured at itS'i IOWPLI' end :to the upperend ofwth hollow baseand: pivard extension of practically forms an the'latteru 3 i Midway of the length oftheworking'cyls inder=the same --is provided-with an annularfuel: distributing inlet passage. 9-which; opens through thebore'of the cylinder; andivvhiohvj iSiPiOVldQdiWii-l'l'i an inlet-nipple. 1 0 through yvhichwt'he "explosive fuelmaybe suppliedfrom-fan'y suit-able s0urce.:to the distributing;

passage. v

- .The products ofconibu stionordead -ases are-withdrawn frommppositeends o the Workingcylinder; through- :upper and lower; exhaust passages 11, 12 :whichare preferably formed: in lateral extensions-.13, 141-hf the.

upper andlower cylinder heads. -These'ex-'" 'haustepassa ges are adapted: td b'e :opfen'edand 5 closed alternately.= by v a: valve nechanisirb comprising.:upper' and lower? exha-ustipqrts 15.; :16ef0rmed in: .theaupper and lower" haust passages,upperiand loweryvalves 17,-:

i18- adapted tomove; toward and from the upper and lower exhaust ports, respectively,-

upper and lower valve rods 19,20 arrangedvertically' in line-andguided 'insuitable' ways on the: head. extensions 13,- .14 said upper valvelrod supporting the upperexhaust valve and the low'er 'VfiilVQrTOd- "supporting D the=lower exhaust valve, and-springs21'. :21.- indicate corresponding parts throughout the several \vhiohwoPer-ate to hold the exhaust valves yieldingly in their closed position,-e ach ofv v these springs beingpreferably-v of spiral Although my improvements may gbei e-mform andbearing, at one endwagainsta'cobj later-shoulder 22 on one of the Nil-1V6 rods while,.,-its opposite end bears against one of the cylinderhead extensions.

meanswhich are shown in the drawings and.

which are suitable comprise 'a vertically:

swinging rock lever 23 pivot-ed on a suitable stationary part of the engine and having its front arm arranged between the opposite ends of the exhaust valve rods 19, 20, an upright shifting rod 24 guided on a stationary 5 part of the engine and connected at its upper end with the rear arm of the rock lever 23, a cam 25 having a groove 26 which is engaged by a projection 27 on the lower end of the shifting rod 24, a horizontal transverse shaft 28 journaled on the base and carrying the cam 25, and an upright intermediate shaft 29 journaled in suitable hearings on the base and operatively connected by a lower pair of intermeshing spiral gears 30 with the crank shaft and also operatively connected with the cam shaft by means of an upper pair of intermeshing spiral gears 31, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. By means of this mechanism the exhaust valves are alternately held in an open and a closed position during about one half of a rotation of the main or crank shaft.

32 represents the working piston which reciprocates lengthwise within the working cylinder and which is itself of hollow or cylindrical form so as to constitute the barrel of a pump whereby the live gaseous fuel is supplied alternately to opposite ends of the working cylinder under high pressure. The working piston has its tubular body closed at its upper and lower ends by upper and lower heads 33, 34 which are preferably screwed into the upper and lower ends of the piston body. This piston may be operatively connected with the main or crank shaft of the engine in various ways but preferably by means of an upright piston rod 35 passing through a stufiing box 36 arranged centrally in the lower head of the working cylinder and connected at its upper end with the lower head of the piston, a vertically movable cross head 37 guided in suitable ways on the pedestal and connected centrally with the lower end of the piston rod, and two pitmen or connecting rods 38 which are pivotally connected at their upper ends with said cross head on opposite sides of the piston rod while their lower ends are pivotally connected with the wrists 39 of two cranks formed on the main or crank shaft within the hollow base. The length of the piston connecting rod and the pivotal. connections between the same and the cross head and crank shaft are the same and therefore operate as one.

Near opposite ends of the working piston the same is provided with two rows of fuel transferring ports 40 extending from its periphery to the bore of the piston. In the uppermost posit-ion of the working piston its lower set of transfer ports 40 opens into the annular fuel distributing passage 9 of the cylinder as shown in Fig. 2, whereby fuel is permitted to enter the lower end of 66 the hollow piston, and in the lowermost position of this piston its upper annular row of fuel transfer ports opens into the annular fuel distributing passage, as shown In Fig. 4, so as to admit gaseous fuel into the interior of the hollow piston at the upper end thereof.

41 represents the pump plunger which reciprocates lengthwise within the hollow piston and whereby the fuel is alternately drawn into and expelled from opposite ends of'the hollow piston. This plunger is positively reciprocated lengthwise of the piston which movement may be produced by any suitable means but preferably by the means which are shown in the drawings and which comprise an upright plunger rod 42 secured at its upper end to the plunger and passing lengthwise through the piston rod which latter is made hollow for this purpose, and a plunger connecting rod or pitman 43 pivotally connected at its upper end with the lower end of the plunger rod while its lower end is pivotally connected with the wrist 44 of a crank formed on the main or crank' shaft between the wrists of the cranks which are connected with the piston.

The relative throw of the piston and plunger and the timing of these parts, is preferably such that the throw of the working piston is equal to-one half of the throw of the pump'plunger and the piston and plunger always move in the same direction although at different speeds. This relative movement of the piston and plunger is obtained by making the radial length or distance from the center of the crank shaft to the centers of the wrists 39 of the piston operating cranks equal to one half the radius or distance from the center of the crank shaft to the center of the wrists 44 of the cranks which operate the pump plunger. It follows from this construction and arrangement of the parts that while thepiston is traveling from one end of the working cylinder to the opposite end thereof, the pump plunger will be moving in the same direction but at a higher speed and therefore move from one end of the hollow piston to the opposite end thereof by the time the latter reaches the end of its stroke.

Within the bore of the cylinder at opposite ends thereof the same is provided with a plurality of parallel longitudinal fuel inlet passages or grooves 45 which give these parts of the cylinder a fluted appearance. Each set of these grooves is preferably formed partly in the body of the cylinder and partly in the adjacent head thereof, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The arrangement of these two sets of fuel inlet passages or grooves relatively to the piston and the transfer orts therein is such that when apiston is in its uppermost position, as shown POSItIOII,

lower ends of the upper set of fuel inlet grooves while the upper end of the piston terminates below the upper end of these grooves so that fuel is permitted to pass rom the upper end of the interior of the piston through the upper transfer ports thereof and the upper set of fuel passages into the upper end of the working cylinder.

When the piston reaches its lowermost as shown in Fig. 4, its lower set of transfer ports register with the upper ends of the lower set of fuel inlet grooves or passages 45 and the lower end of the piston stops short of the lower ends of these grooves, thereby permitting the fuel to pass from the interior of the piston at the lower end thereof through the lower set of transfer ports and fuel passages into the lower end of the working cylinder. After the piston has effected the initial portion of its stroke in one direction and before reaching the last part of its stroke in this direction both sets of transfer ports 40 at opposite ends thereof are closed by the solid portions of the bore of the working cylinder. This causes the plunger which is moving in the same direction as the piston, but at a greater rate, to produce a partial vacuum within the trailing end of the piston and to com ress the fuel within the advancing end of t e piston. This vacuum and com ression in the trailing and advancing en s of the piston increases in tension until the piston and plunger have nearly completed their strokes in one direction. At the end of this stroke of the piston and plunger the transfer ports at the trailing end of the piston are brought into register with the fuel distributing passage 9 whereby a charge of fuel is drawn rapidly into the trailing end of the piston owing to the vacuum within this end of the piston and also owing to the plurality of fuel transfer ports being arranged around the circumference of the iston so that the fuel can enter the same rom all of its sides.

At the same time that fresh fuel is being admitted into the trailing end of the piston the advancing set of fuel transfer ports are in line or in register with the fuel transfer passages arranged at that end of the cylinder toward which the piston is moved, thereby causing the gaseous fuel which has been compressed by the plunger within the advancing end of the cylinder to be rapidly discharged therefrom through the advancing transfer orts 40 and the respective longitudinal uel passages into the companion end of the working cylinder.

The exhaust valve which controls the exhaust passage at that end of the cylinder towardwhich the piston and plunger are moving is so timed that it is opened during practically the entire stroke of the piston and plunger in this direction. By this means the burnt or spent gases contained within that end of the cylinder toward which the piston is moving, are expelled almost entirely mechanically by the piston while the small remaining portion of spent gas still lying bet ween the piston and the adjacent head of the cylinder at the end of the stroke of the piston is pushed out through the exhaust assage by the incoming stream of fresh fuel which enters this end of the cylinder under high pressure from the respective end of the hollow piston, thereby causing a complete scavenging of the spent gases by the combined mechanical action of the piston and pneumatic action of the compressed gases, whereby the least possible contamination of the fresh charge of fuel is possible and the maximum purity of the discharge is maintained.

The exhaust valves are so timed that when the piston reaches the end of its stroke in one direction the exhaust valve in the passage leading to the respective end of the cylinder is also closed, thereby preventing the escape of any live or fresh gaseous fuel through the exhaust at this time. It will thus be apparent that this engine can be run with a minimum waste of fuel and that practically all of the fuel is utilized in developing power, therebyenabling the fuel to be used economicall and the greatest eflipieiicy to be obtaine for a given amount of While the piston is at or near the end of its stroke in one direction the charge of fuel is ignited within the respective end of the cylinder so as to produce an explosion for effecting the next following working stroke of the piston in the opposite direction. Any suitable means may be provided for effecting the ignition of the compressed charges of fuel at opposite ends of the cylinder at the proper time, the means for this purpose shown in the drawings comprising spark plugs 46 which are secured in openings formed in the heads of the cylinder and which are associated with suitable and well known means for producing an electric jump slpark at the proper time within the cylin- During the operation of the engine the cycle of operations just described is repeated during each successive stroke of the piston and plunger.

In order to avoid leakage from the transfer ports while the piston is moving through the intermediate portions of its strokes the periphery of the piston is provided with packing rings 47, 48 which are arranged on opposite sides of each set of transfer ports and engage with the bore of the cylinder.

As the fresh fuel passes from the piston through the longitudinal fuel grooves or passages into the ends of the cylinder this fuel is thoroughly mixed, thereby putting the same in the best condition for obtaining the highest efficiency of the same.

Each set of fuel passages or grooves may be variously distributed around the bore of the cylinder but it is preferable to omit these grooves in that portion of the bore of the cylinder immediately adjacent to the exhaust passage and arrange the same remote from the exhaust passage. By this means the fuel from the hollow piston enters the cylinder at points remote from or opposite to the exhaust passage, whereby the .previously burnt or spent charge, or gas contained within the end of. the cylinder are more effectively pushed out through the exhaust by the incoming fresh charge, of a gaseous fuel and the possibility of fresh gas escaping with the spent gas is reduced to a minimum. r

Inasmuch as the piston itself operates as a valve for controlling the admission of fuel into the piston and also the-discharge from the same into the cylinder it is unnecessary to employ any check valves in the path of the fuel supply conduits, thereb materially simplifying the construction of the engine and reducing the cost ofthe same accordingly. r

nasmuch as two worklng impulses are produced by this engine during each complete rotation of the main or crank Shaft the same runs very even and steady, thereby renderin the same particularly suitable for electric lighting and other purposes where a uniform speed is desirable.

I claim, as my invention:

1. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder having exhaust assages at its opposite ends and a fuel inlet etween its ends, a hollow piston reciprocating within the cylinder and adapted to have each end of its interior alternately connected with said fuel inlet and one end of said cylinder, and a plunger reciprocating within the piston.

2. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder having exhaust passages at its opposite ends and a fuel inlet between its ends, a hollow piston reciprocating within the cylinder and adapted to have each end of its interior alternately connected with said fuel inlet and one end of said cylinder, a plunger reciprocating within the piston, and means for causing positive relative movement of said piston and plunger.

3. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder having exhaust passages at its opposite ends, fuel passages arranged in the bore of the cylinder at opposite ends thereof and a fuel inlet arranged in the cylinder midway between its ends, a hollow piston reciprocating within the cylinder and having transfer ports at its leading from the periphery of the piston to the bore thereof, said transfer ports being opposite ends so disposed that when the piston is at either end of its stroke the transfer ports at its advancing end will register withv the fuel passages at the corresponding end of the cylinder and thetransfer ports at the trailing end of the piston will register with said fueli let, and a plunger reciprocating within'said piston. i

4:. An internal combustion engine com prising a cylinder having exhaustpassages at its opposite ends, fuel passagesarranged in theboreof the cylinder atopposite ends thereof and a fuel inlet arranged in the cylinder; midway between its ends, a hollow piston reciprocating within the cylinder and havinghtransfer ports at its opposite ends leading from therperiphery of the piston to the bore thereof,said transfer ports being 80 disposed that when the piston isat either end OfyltS stroke the transfer ports at its advancing end will register with thefuel passages at the corresponding end of the cylinder and the transfer ports at the tra ling end of the piston will register with sa d fuelvinlet, a plunger reciprocatingvwithm said piston, and acrankshaft having a. short crank connected with said pistonrand along crank connected withsaid plunger.

5. internal combustion engine, comprising a cylinder having exhaust passages at its opposite ends, fuel passages arranged in thebore of the cylinder at opposite ends thereof and a fuel inlet arranged in the cylinder midway between its ends, a hollow piston reciprocating within thecylmder and having transfer ports at its-opposite ends leading from the periphery of the piston to the bore thereof, said transfer ports being so disposed that when the piston is at either end of its stroke the transfer ports at its advancing end will register with the fuel passages at the corresponding end of the cylinder and the transfer ports at the trailing end of thepiston will register with said fuel inlet, a plunger reciprocating within said piston, a hollow piston rod connected with the piston, a plunger rod arranged within the hollow piston rod and connected with the plunger, and a crank shaft having a short crank connected with the piston rod and a long crank connected with the plunger rod. v

6. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder having exhaust passages at its opposite ends and a fuel inlet between its ends, a hollow piston reci rocating within the cylinder and adapts to have each end of its interior alternately connected with said fuel inlet and one end of said cylinder, a plunger reciprocating within the piston, and valves for controlling said exhaust passages.

7. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder having exhaust passages at its opposite ends and a fuel inlet between its ends, a hollow piston reci rocating within the cylinder and adapte to have each end of its interior alternately 'connected with said fuel inlet and one end of said cylinder, a plunger reciprocating within the piston, and means for controlling said ex-' haust passages comprising valves arranged in said passages and mounted on opposing valve stems, springs operating to hold sai valves yieldingly in va closed position, and

'a' rock lever arranged between said valve.

stems and adapted to engage the same alternately.

8; An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder having exhaust'passages at its opposite ends and a fuelinlet between its ends, a'hollow piston reciprocating within thecylinder and adapted to have each en'd'flof its interior alternateliy connected with said fuel inlet. and one en 'of said cylinder, a plunger reciprocating within the piston, and means for controlling said exhaust (passages comprlsing valves arranged -in sai passages and mounted on opposing 'valvesterns, springs operating to hold said valves'yieldingly in a closed-position, a rock lever arranged between said valve stems and adapted to engage the same alternately, a-

rotary" cam, and a shifting and connected with said lever and engaging with said cam.

9. An internal combustion engine comprising .acylinder provided at its opposite ends with exhaust passages andwith longi- 'tudinal'ffuel passages, and midway-of its length with an annular fuel distributing inlet passage, a hollow piston provided at each end with an annular row of fuel transfer ports which are adapted'to register alternately with said longitudinal and annular fuel passages. v

10. internal combustion engine com- I prising a cylinder provided at each end a with an'e'xhaust passage and with a plural- ,ity of fuel conducting grooves arranged lengthwise in' the bore of the cylinder, a

cylinder and having an annular grow of transfer ports at each end, said piston when 45. hollow piston movable lengthwise in the at the end of its stroke in'either direction having its end arranged short of the outer ends of said longitudinal fuel passages and its transfer ports registering with the inner ends of sai longitudinal ,passagesland a plunge-r reciprocating-within the piston.

11. An internalcombustiomengine comprising a cylinder provided at'ea'ch end with an exhaust passage and with a plurality of fuel conducting, grooves 'arranged len h-'-- wise in the bore .of theoylinder', a hol ow piston movablelen 'hwise in the cylinder and having an annu arrow oftransfer ports at'each end, said piston when at-theendof its stroke in either direction having its end arranged short of the outer ends of saidlongi'tudinal fuel passages and its transfer ports registering with the'inner ends of said longitudinal passages, and a'plunger recip-1 rocating within the iston, each of-said ex-.

Disclaimer in Letters Patent No. 1,058,026

1,O58,U26.--C0ry W. Anderson, Buffalo, N. Y.

DISCLAIINEEB.

Patent dated April 8, i9l3, Disclaimer filed July 18. 1013, lJ the nssigner.

Gila linyine Company.

Enters this disclaimer- To that part of the claim in said towit:

1. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder having exhaust passages at its 0 posits ends and a fuel inletbetween its ends, a hollow piston reciprocating within the cylinder and adapted to have each end of ils interior alternately con nected with said fuel inlet undone end of said cylinder, and a plunger reciprocating within the piston 2. An internal combustion enwiuo comprising a cylinder having exhaust passages at its opposite ends and a fuel inlet between its ends, a hollow piston reciprocni m within the cylinder and adapted to have each end of its interior alternatel (:on nected with said fuel inlet and one end of said cylinder, a plunger reciprocating within the piston, and means for causing positive relative movement of said piston and plunger.

3. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder having exhaust passages at its opposite ends. fuel passages arranged in the bore of the c 'linder at opposite ends thereof and a fuel inlet arranged in the cylinder midway etween its ends. a hollow iston reci roeating within the cylinder and havin transfer ports at its opposite on s lcadin f om the peri hcry of the piston to thciore thereof, said transfer orts being so dis osed that when the piston is at either end of its stroke the trans er ports at its a vancing end will register with the fuel passages at the corresponding and of the cylinder and the transfer ports at the trailing end of the piston will register with said fuel inlet, and a plunger reciprocating within said iston.

6. An internal combustion engine comprising acylindcr having ex must passages at its opposite ends and a fuel inlet between its ends, a hollow piston reciprocating within the cylinder and adapted to have each end of its interior alternately con nected with said fuel inlet and one end of said cylinder, a plunger reciprocating within the piston, and valves for controlling said exhaust passages.

9. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder provided at its Opposite ends with exhaust passages and with longitudinal fuel passa es, and midway of its length with an annular fuel distributing inlet passage, a hollow piston provided at each end with an annular row of fuel transfer ports which are adapted to register alternately with said longitudinal and annular fuel )assages.

10. An internal combustion engine comprising :1 cy inder provided at each end with an exhaust assage and with a plurality of fuel conducting grooves arranged lengthwise in thegiore of the cylinder, a hollow piston movable lengthwise in tin cylinder and having an annular row of transfer ports at each end. said piston when at the end of its stroke in either direction having its end arranged short of the outer specification which is in the following words ends of said longitudinal fuel passages and its transfer ports registering Wlill the inner ends of said longitudinal passages and a plunger reciprocating within tin piston.

11 An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder provided at each end with an exhaust passage and with a plurality of fuel conducting grooves arranged lengthwise in the bore of the cylinder, a hollow piston movable lengthwise in the cylinder and having an annular row of transfer ports at each end, smd piston when at the end of its stroke in either direction having its end arranged short of the outer ends of said longitudinal fuel passages and its transfer ports registering with thrinner ends of said longitudinal passages. and a plunger reciprocating within the piston, each of said exhaust passages opening into said cylinder on one side thereof aiid the companion longitudinal fuel passages being arranged in an annular row remote from said exhaust passage. 

